Etirama opens European demo center

Brazilian press manufacturer Etirama has opened a demo center in Kohlberg, near Stuttgart in southern Germany, as it increases its focus on the European market. 

The move follows the establishment of a sales and service office in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2022, and the recent appointments of new distributors across the continent. The press manufacturer has established Etirama Europe as a partner to its Brazilian counterpart, focused on the marketing, commercial and after-sales management of the brand in Europe, and this European operation has attracted investment from MPS co-founder and advisory board member Bert van den Brink. 

The demo center, recently inaugurated with an open house event, is a partnership with Etiflex, which is based in Kohlberg and is Etirama’s new distributor in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 

The site houses an 8-color Etirama SPS3 flexo press, which the manufacturer launched last year at Labelexpo Europe. 

‘Europe has understood Etirama’s product proposal: a machine with great performance and functionality, with international standard components and an incredible price,’ says Etirama CEO Ronnie Schröter. ‘This is the perfect combination for a quick return on investment. We believe that European label converters are a very important audience for our machines.’ 

Open house 

Etirama’s new showroom in Kohlberg was inaugurated with an open house in June. Around 60 people were in attendance, including label converters from Germany, Greece, Asia and the Middle East, alongside staff from Etirama and Etiflex, Etirama’s distributors in Greece, Spain, Portugal and the United Arab Emirates, and supplier partners such as ABG, BST, COE, Flint Group and Kocher + Beck. 

Visitors watched demonstrations of Etirama’s SPS3 modular flexo press. The servo-driven SPS3, which has a 350mm web width, can be equipped with up to 10-colors and includes options such as cold foil, delam/relam, lamination, sheeter and turn bar for reverse printing. 

We believe that European label converters are a very important audience for our machines

An electronic pre-register system facilitates the production of small and medium-sized jobs with a quick and economical setup. 

The press can run at speeds of up to 150m/min, allowing it also to handle long runs effectively. 

The press features Industry 4.0 connectivity, with remote technical assistance and the ability to provide information about its production in real-time. 

The machine is part of Etirama’s Global Series press line, launched in 2020 as part of a strategy to consolidate the company’s brand around the world. The Global Series range standardizes Etirama’s machines on a single platform with components made by international partners. 

Etirama has installed 10 modular presses in Europe since their launch, though the company has a legacy installation base of much older CI flexo machines on the continent which numbers in the triple digits. 

But it is the new modular press line, of which the SPS3 is the newest machine, which Schröter believes has great potential in the European market. ‘Etirama is the market leader in Latin America and in order to continue growing in the market, we decided in 2020 to expand our operations in Europe,’ he explains. 

‘Etirama machines are simple to operate and inexpensive and easy to maintain. The press is economical to set up and stable 

during production. The price is very attractive, with a quick return on investment. We think it could be the machine with the best payback on the market. So, it’s a great option for a recovering European market. 

‘Etirama is one of the few companies in the segment dedicated exclusively to this profile of machine. At a time when the world is more dynamic and constantly changing, the Etirama machine is a low-risk investment with a quick return. 

‘So, with the focus on strengthening the brand on the continent and attracting customers who do not yet know the brand, we decided to have a demonstration machine for customers to discover and test.’ 

The press in the showroom is available for demonstrations, and then will be sold and replaced by new models sent by Etirama, says Schröter. ‘This ensures that the market has the opportunity to learn about different models and configurations from time to time.’ 

Schröter is enthused by Bert van den Brink’s involvement in the project. ‘Bert purchased shares in Etirama Europe, which manages the operations in Europe, and contributes as an advisor, sharing his market know-how,’ he says. ‘We believe that this alliance with Bert is an important step towards strengthening the brand in Europe with solidity and speed.’ 

Further European distributors will be named by Etirama in the coming months, according to Schröter. Aside from Etiflex handling Germany, Austria and Switzerland, deals are in place with agents covering Portugal, Spain, Greece and Turkey.

Learn more about Etirama here.